


dad

by starrywrite



Category: On My Block (TV)
Genre: Broken Families, Brothers, Gen, Pre-Season/Series 01, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:26:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23177674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrywrite/pseuds/starrywrite
Summary: Cesar gives him a construction paper necktie with ‘HAPPY FATHERS DAY’ scrawled on it in crayon. The Ys are backwards.
Relationships: Cesar Diaz & Oscar "Spooky" Diaz
Comments: 7
Kudos: 126





	dad

**Author's Note:**

> this was meant to go into a drabble collection i’m working on (sorta lmao) but i liked it too much so it’s become a standalone 
> 
> s/o to s3 for giving me so many feelings about the diaz brothers!!!! s/o to the writers for rly confirming that oscar is cesar’s dad!!!! 
> 
> and if u don’t already know, you can find me on tumblr @ ‘creativityprince’ <3

Cesar gives him a construction paper necktie with ‘HAPPY FATHERS DAY’ scrawled on it in crayon. The Ys are backwards. Oscar stares at it, speechless, his vision going blurry, until Cesar starts jumping up and down, waving another piece of paper in his face. He’s squeaking about a Father’s Day lunch at his school. Damn near gives Oscar a paper cut on his nose in the process.

“We’re gonna have pizza and sodas! And my teacher said you can take me home _early_ after it’s all over!” Cesar practically yanks his arm out of the socket, pulling on it with all the strength his little body can muster up. “You can come, right?” he asks, eyes glowing with excitement. Oscar says yes before he can even really think about what he’s agreeing to. 

He knows damn well that a few hours at an elementary school won’t kill him, but the looks from the other parents and Cesar’s teacher might. Knows he shouldn’t care either way but the last thing he wants is Cesar to suffer because his ‘dad’ is the kind of guy some of those parents cross the street to avoid. 

The thing of it is, everyone knows Oscar isn’t Cesar’s dad. The school knows, even though they let him sit in on the parent-teacher conferences; even let him sign permission slips and shit like that. The parents know, even though it doesn’t stop their lingering glances when Cesar climbs into the impala after school; doesn’t stop some moms from looking like they want to call the police as they drive away. Cesar knows, even though he calls him _papi_ sometimes instead of _mano_ just as much as Oscar calls him _mijo_. But living in Freeridge is like living in a telenovela; everyone always knows everyone’s business. Everyone heard about their father getting hauled off his front lawn in a white tank and into the back of a police car like an episode of _Cops_ come to life. Everyone’s already starting to hear about their once beautiful mother now looking like a voodoo doll gone wrong. So no one’s going to say anything if Oscar were to roll up to this Father’s Day lunch thing. No one’s going to question why Cesar’s calling his big brother his ‘dad’. 

But still. He isn’t stupid. He knows damn well what everyone thinks about him -- what everyone _knows_ about him. Knows that a two minute conference is different than a two hour event. The last thing he needs is people asking too many questions. 

But still. 

It’s just one day. And Cesar deserves this one day.

He swallows his pride and asks Leti for some of that concealer shit the girls are always wearing to cover some of his tattoos, then goes to buy a cheap ass shirt that wouldn’t pass for an undershirt because none of his decent ones fit anymore. 

The day of he stands in the back, trying to blend in and stay out of the way. He’s stiff and uncomfortable and the classroom is too bright, but whenever he glances at him, Cesar’s smile is so big, you would think he’s in Disneyland. And that makes it worth it. 

All the kids stand up and read something they all wrote about their dads. Oscar pretends that no one shifts around uncomfortably when it’s Cesar’s turn. “What I love about my dad,” Cesar reads from his paper. He looks up and finds Oscar in the room, smiles real big at him as he says, “Is everything. Because he’s the best _mano_ ever and he’s my best friend ever, in the whole world. Even when he makes me eat carrots.” The chuckles and applause drown out the sound of Oscar sniffling.


End file.
